Student Loan Repayment Math: Standard, Graduated & Income-Based Plans
Accrue interest while studying and capitalise it, price the standard 10-year plan with PMT, solve a graduated plan, model income-driven payments and forgiveness, test extra payments with NPER, weigh refinancing against lost protections and chart the total cost of every plan, every cell checked. Illustrative rules, check your servicer. Not financial advice.
The first lesson is free — no account needed.
About this course
A student loan repayment course that follows one fictional graduate, Maya, and her four loans from graduation to payoff in a spreadsheet, for students, graduates, parents and financial planning students. You calculate the interest that builds up while studying, capitalise it and find the weighted average rate, price the standard 10-year plan with PMT and total the interest, solve a graduated plan whose payments step up every two years, set income-driven payments as a share of discretionary income capped at the standard payment, look up the balance left when forgiveness applies and allow for a possible tax on it, find the payoff date with extra payments using NPER and EDATE, weigh private refinancing offers against the protections given up, and chart the total cost of every plan. The rules are illustrative, so check your servicer for current terms. Educational only, not financial advice. The first lab is free.
Lessons
- Interest While You Study & CapitalisationFree
- The Standard 10-Year Plan: PMT & Total Interest Pro
- The Graduated Plan: Payments That Step Up Every 2 Years Pro
- Income-Driven Plans: % of Discretionary Income Pro
- Forgiveness After N Years: What Is Left, Paid & Possibly Taxed (Chart) Pro
- Extra Payments & the Payoff Date: NPER and EDATE Pro
- Refinancing vs Keeping: Rate Savings vs Lost Benefits Pro
- Plan Comparison: Total Cost of Every Plan (Chart) Pro